Knockdown fruit-crate.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

L. R. BACON. KNOOKDOWN FRUIT CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL, 1905.

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UNITED sTATEs' PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed March 14,1905. Serial No. 250,071.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVIN R. BAooN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laurel, in the county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Fruit-Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in knockdown fruit crates, and has for its general objects to provide a crate of this character the sections of which are assembled in a simple and convenient manner, and which sections when folded together for shipment will present a compact structure occupying the minimum amount of space, and when extended and se cured in position will form a crate that is strong and durable in construction.

Other objects of the invention relate to details of construction and to combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more clearly hereinafter appear and be particularly pointed out in the claim.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate constructed according to my invention and set up ready for receiving the fruit. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the various sections in their unfolded relation. Fig. 3 is a view in side relation, showing the sections folded ready for shipment. Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of the same, and Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the crate shown in Fig. 1.

The crate is composed of side sections 1 2, end sections 3 4, a bottom section 5, and a top section or lid 6. Each of the side sec tions is composed of to and bottom longitudinal strips 7 8, to whic are secured at equal distances apart vertical slats 9. Each of the end sections is likewise composed of top and bottom longitudinal strips 10 11, to which are secured at equal distances apart vertical slats 12. The side and end sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 are secured together in endwise relation by means of hinge-strips 13, of tin or other suitable metal, which will readily bend, a side section alternating with an end section, as shown, and a sufficient space being provided between the abutting ends to permit the sections to be folded into the position shown in Fig. 1. The lid 6 is secured to one side of the side section 2 by means of hinges 14 and is provided centrally of its outer edge with a hasp 15. The bottom 5 is secured to one side of the side section 1 by means of tin straps 16, said straps being secured at one end by tacks or nails to the bottom strip 8 of the side section 1 and being secured near opposite edges of the bottom 5 by means of tacks or nails 17, as shown, said straps extending entirely across the bottom and having free ends 18 projecting beyond the outer side thereof. The bottom 5 and lid 6 are respectively secured on opposite sides of the strip of sections, as shown by Fig. 2, so that said sections may be readily assembled to form the crate of Fig. 1 or be folded into the positions shown by Figs. 3 and 4. The top strip 7 of the side section 1 is provided with a pivoted keeper 19 for engaging the hasp 15 of the lid. The lid 6 is preferably braced by cross-strips 20.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown by Fig. 2, they are folded together for shipment by first folding over the .bottom 5 onto the side section 1, then folding over the end section 3 onto the bottom 5, then folding .over the lid 6 onto the side section 1, and

then folding over the side section 2 with the lid onto the endsection 4, so that the said top will overlap and rest upon the bottom 5 and abut against the edge of the end section 3, as clearly shown by Fig. 2. This will present only four thicknesses of material, which lie in close compact relation. Fig. 2 shows the outer side of all of the parts, and in folding the crate into the position shown by Fig. 3 the various sections are folded backward or reversely to the way they are folded to form the crate shown by Fig. 1.

To bring the sections from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the crate form shown by Fig. 1, said sections are unfolded into the position shown by Fig. 2, and the bottom 5 and the various end and side sections are bent in Wardly, or in a reverse direction to that above described, as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art, and when so positioned the outer end of the side section 2 will be brought to abut against the outer end of the end section 3. Corner-strips 21 are secured at one end to the top and bottom strips 7 8 of the side section 2, and by nailing these to the top and bottom strips 10 and 11 of the end section 3 the sections will be secured in the rectangular shape shown by Fig. 1. The bottom 5 is secured in position by bending up and nailing the projecting ends 18 of the i straps 16 to the bottom rail or strip 8 of the side section 2, as clearly shown by Fig. 5.

As shown by Figs. 2 and 5, the space provided between the inner edge of the bottom 5 and the bottom edge of the side section 1 is sufliciently great to permit the bottom 1 when turned to,the position shown by Figs. 1 and 5 to pass within the sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 instead of abutting against the edges thereof, as is the common practice, and thus the bottom is made to serve the purpose of strengthening the sides without being nailed thereto, the only retaining means being the straps 16.

The manner of connecting the sections together, as shown by Fig. 2, is extremly simple, and the most unskilful person can do this work, as said sections are simply fastened end to end, the bottom being secured to one side of one side section and the top or lid to the opposite side of the other side section. By forming the hinge members 13 of pieces of tin in place of employing hinges I am enabled to decrease the expense of the crate materially, and, due to the simplicity of construction, the whole device can be manufactured with extreme economy.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a knockdown crate, the combination with side and end sections of different lengths, respectively, arranged end to end in spaced alternate relation and connected one with the other by means of flexible metallic strips, means carried at the outer end of one of said sections whereby when the said sections are folded in crate form said section may be secured to an abutting section, a bottom adapted to be inserted within the side and end sections, flexible metallic straps connected at one end to the bottom of one of said side sections and extending across and projecting beyond the outer side of, and being secured to said bottom, the projecting portions of said straps being adapted to be secured to the bottom of the other side section, and alid hinged to the top of said other side section.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEVIN R. BACON. Witnesses:

EDwD. F. HEARN, HIRAu B. HITCH. 

